Family Portrait
by Anneko
Summary: <html><head></head>Four years after the Jack the Ripper incident, Grell's wish of bearing children comes true. Unfortunately for the red reaper, things don't go entirely as planned...</html>
1. Prologue

Hey there everyone! Let me do a little introduction on this since it's different than all of my other fics. Firstly, because it's a collaborative effort between me and cactus fluff. Secondly, because it's not a one shot like 99.9% of my other fics! Also, beware of some smut, malexmale relationships, intense drama, mpreg and character death. Yes, all that. Sometimes all of those at once, yes. But then there's also a LOT of fluff going on. So, stick around and hope you like it! The prologue is short, but wait around for the next chapter, things will be moving on then!

**Disclaimer:** Don't own, never will. We're just exploring "what if" scenarios.

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><p>†<strong> Prologue<strong>

"Honey, are you coming to bed?"

"Coming~!" Grell said in his sing-song tone. He was washing his face and braiding his hair like he did every night before going to bed. He had been together with Undertaker for quite some time, yet he was still the only man Grell would allow to see him without his makeup on. With it or without, Undertaker would still call him beautiful, so Grell stopped caring about it at one point - when he realized that Undertaker cared for _him_ and not for his looks. That was probably around the time Undertaker slid that ring on Grell's finger and Grell did the same, a little gold band joining them.

"You look stunning as always, my lady." The mortician said. He was already in bed, sitting up, waiting for his lady - who was wearing a sexy short nightgown. He smiled at the red reaper like he did every time they went to bed together. It wasn't his usual creepy smile, but an adoring one instead, like they were first-time lovers, with the fascination of appreciating the one you love in their total nudity for the first time. The first time, every time, for years. And Grell loved that.

So Grell smiled back and joined him in bed, Undertaker making sure he was tucked safely under the covers before kissing his temple and turning off the lights, spooning him and drifting off to sleep next to him, both of their breaths stopping after a while. With time, their relationship had grown strong and secure. They didn't feel the need to have sex each day anymore, simply content with holding each other until they fell asleep. It was comfortable and safe.

In the morning, Grell would wake up to a steaming cup of tea or coffee and toast or a similar kind of breakfast and a loving smile from the undertaker. He'd have his breakfast in bed while Undertaker prepared his own. Of course, he was a reaper, so he had to go to work, and he'd leave while Undertaker was finishing up his breakfast or getting ready to open his shop - but Grell never forgot to kiss him goodbye.

At the end of the day, Grell would come home to Undertaker's loving arms. He'd cook dinner for both, they'd eat it together, and after a few hours they'd go to bed. It was a simple, almost idyllic life - but of course it wasn't perfect. Like any other couple, they argued sometimes, specially considering how strong both their personalities were, but those arguments usually ended in rough sex. It was just how they were. It was their little routine.

A routine that wouldn't last long, though. For better and for worse.


	2. Chapter 1

Thank you for the kind reviews on the prologue, you guys! Well, we won't be keeping you waiting too long, here's chapter one! Enjoooy! (Also, no, William won't be a jerk all the time. Just this once, I promise.) And you know, more reviews means you'll get chapter 2 faster! ^^

**Disclaimer:** Yeahhhh, not mine.

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><p>†<strong> Chapter I<strong>

Grell grunted when he arrived home that day, letting himself sink on an open coffin while Undertaker was closing up shop.

"What's the matter, dear?" The elder shinigami asked, his curiosity spiked by the redhead's frown.

"I had a rough day. _Gods_, I thought I'd asked him not to give me..."

"Oh dear..." Undertaker put down everything and walked over to Grell, knowing exactly what he meant. It had been one of those days when William had assigned him a death list with a baby or child's soul to harvest. It broke Grell's heart every time and he came home miserable. Undertaker didn't understand it either: Grell had asked William over and over not to give him death lists with children on it, yet he kept doing so. Didn't William realize how much those deaths bothered Grell? They probably botheres the other reapers too, but none of them were parents, nor did they want to bear children as desperately as Grell did. He helf Grell in his arms while he looked into the distance, lost in thoughts, for once hating the blood on his hands. He looked down at them. They were already clean - actually, they had never been dirty in the first place since he had been wearing gloves - but he could still see and feel the blood on his hands.

"I hate this job, sometimes..."

"I know. I did too. That's why I retired." Grell sighed and leaned into Undertaker's touch.

"Nevermind. This is never going to change. Well now..." He started, seeking Undertaker's lips with his own to steal a kiss from the mortician. "I'll go make dinner." The scarred reaper watched him as he hung his coat on the coat rack and then followed him into the kitchen. Grell put on an apron and got to work under the undertaker's loving gaze.

"Y'know what..." The elder said, stepping up behind him to wrap his arms around his waist, planting a kiss on his neck. "I'll do it. You go rest." Grell shook his head.

"I need to be doing something. If I don't I'll start thinking about it and that won't solve a thing." Undertaker nodded.

"Very well, then. Will you be fine if I go out for a bit? I'll only be gone for about an hour."

"Sure. This will take a while anyway." The silver-haired shinigami smiled and kissed Grell's cheek.

"I won't be gone for long."

-/-

"We need to talk." The legendary death god said, waltzing into William's office, sitting across from him, much like Grell usually did.

"Yes?" William said, putting down his pen. He never did that for Grell, of course, but he owed Undertaker respect.

"I want you to stop giving her death lists with kids on them."

"Her? Oh." William asked, but realized immediately who Undertaker was referring. "I can't, it would be favoritism. And I can't let him be bothered by it. He's a reaper, he has to be toughened up."

"Well, it's not working. In fact, it's doing quite the opposite. I'm tired of having her come home to me crying her heart out because of the baby or child you made her kill. You _know_ how badly she wants babies and can't have them, you're just rubbing it in her face."

"I don't care, he-"

"But _I_ do!" Undertaker interrupted, slamming his palms on William's desk and standing up.

"Undertaker." The active shinigami started, pushing his glasses up his nose. "It's his _job_. Surely you didn't make this sort of exception when you were-"

"Because I never had a simillar case to deal with. And don't compare me to you - I had a _heart_ when I was the one working behind that desk."

"I can't make an exception. It's favoritism."

"_Gods_, William, it's _not_ favoritism! You're _killing_ her!"

"Maybe, if he wasn't so _stupid_ to the point of thinking he can have children, he-" William was once again interrupted, this time not by Undertaker's voice, but by the back of his hand hitting his face. William was shocked silent - he never thought Undertaker would hit him, specially not with his ring hand. The elder's lips were pursed and his whole posture said he was furious.

"Never." He hissed, sounding threatening and leaning over William's desk. "Speak of her like that in my presence _ever_. _Again_."

"He's working for me. He does what I tell him to, I'm his supervisor, it's his job to do so. We're short-staffed already, I can't be picky about it." The next thing he knew, Undertaker's hand was holding his chin, forcing him to look at him, his long nails piercing his cheeks.

"The thing is, if this happens once more, I won't allow her to come to work, and I'll contact your superiors about the emotional distress you're causing her. That should be okay since you're short-staffed already, right?" William's eyes widened in disbelief.

"You wouldn't."

"Oh, but I would. And I will if it happens again. I'm sure your superiors would be displeased, but I'm the Undertaker, who's going to say no to me?"

"...Fine." The younger reaper caved in, averting his eyes. "It won't happen again."

"Good!" Undertaker let go of William's chin, standing straight and adopting a cheerful tone. "Nice to do business with you!"


	3. Chapter 2

Oh my chapter two already! Me and cactus fluff were feeling down so we decided to cheer ourselves up by posting another chapter. Here's where it gets smutty, by the way. ;D I can't promise we'll keep this pace up for long, though, exams are coming up for me, so... But do not worry, we're not giving up on this fic so easily! Hope you like this chapter as well!

**Disclaimer:** If it were mine it'd be awesome. Sadly, it is not. :C

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><p>†<strong> Chapter II<strong>

"I'm home!" Undertaker announced, stepping into the kitchen to wrap his arms around his redhead's waist, kissing his cheek.

"Mmmn, just in time, too. Dinner will be ready in about half an hour or so, just put it in the oven."

"Is that so, hm?" The mortician asked, running his fingertips down Grell's ribs. "That means we have some time, then, doesn't it?" The red reaper grinned, purring in his arms.

"Hmm, feeling naughty, are we?"

"Perhaps." He teased, nibbling gently on Grell's ear. "It's just that you're so...delicious." Undertaker whispered, licking the shell of his ear, grinning when Grell gasped. "I can't help myself." Grell turned around in Undertaker's embrace to wrap his arms around the older man, pulling him into a deep kiss.

"You always know exactly what to say to win me over, don't you?" The younger male whispered, both their eyes falling closed, their foreheads pressed together. Undertaker smiled.

"Pretty much." He planted a light peck on Grell's lips. "I love you." Grell shivered in his arms, smiling.

"Not here, though. Take me to our bed." The undertaker gladly did so, picking him up bridal style and carrying him to their bedroom, gently laying him down on the bed, he himself towering over him and kissing him. Grell moaned into the kiss, his arms instantly wrapping around the funeral director's neck while the older man slipped his hand under Grell's shirt, his fingertips exploring the skin of his stomach, feeling him pull away from such an intimate contact at first. Undertaker smiled when he felt Grell's muscled relax under his fingers. No matter how many times they did this, Grell would always shy away from his touches at first. It was adorable, really. He was only shy until all the clothes were off, though, letting go of his worries when Undertaker was buried deep inside him.

Grell didn't lose any time in unbuttoning his coats, exposing Undertaker's chest, his hands running over whatever skin they could, his fingertips brushing his nipples now and then.

"Someone's eager, hm?" The retired shinigami muttered, dipping his head to plant a kiss on Grell's collarbone. Grell didn't answer, he just threw his head back, exposing his neck, inviting the mortician to ravage it, which he gladly did.

Slowly, sensually, Undertaker travelled down to his collarbone, sucking at the skin there, marking him. Grell shifted under him, his legs spreading just a bit wider and his hands sliding up Undertaker's still clothed back. That wouldn't do, though, so Grell tugged at his clothes, trying to pry them off. Undertaker pulled back just long enough to expose his torso before lowering himself once more to tease Grell's nipples. The redhead moaned, his hips buckling slightly. Undertaker smiled before taking one of Grell's nipples completely in his mouth, suckling at the tiny nub like a baby would, his hand stimulating the other one until both were completely erect.

Grell's nipples weren't the only erect body parts in the mix, though, as both their pants grew gradually tighter and more uncomfortable. Undertaker ran his tongue down Grell's stomach and navel, aiming to take care of that particular problem, feeling Grell shift to get rid of his shirt under his touches. He undid the buttons on Grell's pants swiftly, his whole body shivering with delight upon hearing Grell gasp when he ran his palm over the lacy red fabric of the effeminate male's panties, feeling his growing arousal. Pulling down Grell's pants, Undertaker started tugging at his underwear with his teeth, his nose brushing the cock he had just freed from its lacy prison, earning him a few moans from Grell.

"Oh gods, Undie!" Grell let out, his fingers pulling at the silver locks on Undertaker's head, wanting more, more of him. "Don't tease me." He muttered through gritted teeth, his cock twitching when Undertaker ran his tongue close to its base and then all the day down his inner thigh.

"A lady should be patient, not so?" He whispered against his thigh, planting kisses all over his body, coming down to steal a kiss from Grell's parted lips. Grell's hands wandered down his back, slipping under Undertaker's pants and undergarments to cup his rear, pulling him down so their erections would grind against each other, which made the redhead gasp. Chuckling, the elder male pulled his pants down, finally freeing his own engorged member from its restraints and ridding them of whatever clothes they were still wearing.

Grell outstretched his arm, reaching for the top drawer on the nightstand and pulling out a bottle of lube. He opened it and smeared a generous amount on his fingers. Undertaker enjoyed watching him prepare himself, and Grell had learned the hard way that having the other man's nails up there was not very effective. With a whimper, Grell slid two fingers in his waiting entrance. Undertaker watched with half-lidded eyes - not that Grell could see it, though, with his bangs covering them - and stroking himself as his lover's fingers went in and out of himself like his member soon would, stretching him, preparing him for said member, making him drool. Three fingers and very enticing moans and gasps later, Grell pulled his fingers out and Undertaker moved in, kissing him passionately while coating his cock with lube and positioning it at his lover's entrance. Undertaker smirked.

"Do you want me?" He asked, his member teasing his entrance.

"Ahh... Yes..." Grell moaned, buckling his hips towards Undertaker, inviting him in. Undertaker couldn't resist him like this. With a kiss on his forehead, he thrust into him, filling him to the hilt in the first thrust. Underneath him, Grell's whole body shivered and he gasped, his cock twitching. His legs wrapped around his lover when he was ready, a signal for him to move. The older male gladly obliged, unsheathing himself out of his lover and then slide back inside, slowly at first, the picking up speed.

"Gods, Grell..." Undertaker groaned, sweat making his bangs cling to his face. "So hot..." Grell moaned when he felt the other man's hand slip down to pump his weeping cock, smearing the precum over his head and teasing his slit with his thumb.

"Ohh, ohh, Undertaker!" Grell cried out when the silver haired male rammed his prostate, arching his back to allow him an easier access. "Hurry! Do that again!"

"Call my name..." Undertaker groaned, licking and kissing Grell's neck. "Say you love me..."

"I love you, I love you, oh Undertaker..." Grell writhed, humouring his lover. "I want you, please!" He clawed at Undertaker's back, leaving angry red marks down the length of his skin, much like he always did. Not that Undertaker minded, though. In fact, he rather liked it. The mortician was hitting his lover's prostate with every thrust now, making him cry out in pleasure. "Ohh, _ohh, U-Undertakerrrr_..." He cried out, throwing his head back. "I'm gonna-ah-_ahhh_!" He didn't even have time to let him know he was coming before his seed spilled from his cock, covering his chest and stomach with white droplets of semen. Undertaker followed soon after, grunting and gripping the sheets tighter as he filled Grell to the brim with his essence.

They both collapsed side by side in a sweaty mess seconds later, enjoying the afterglow of their orgasm together, their breaths steadily going back to a normal rate. Undertaker had Grell bundled up in his arms, feeling the redhead's heart beat against his chest, against his own heart, both their heartbeats falling into synchrony as they slowed. A good ten to fifteen minutes after, Grell shifted to sit up, only to be stopped by Undertaker's arm around his midriff.

"I should check the food, dear, it'll get burned." He explained, running his fingers through his lover's delicate silver locks. Undertaker just shook his head lazily.

"I don't care. Stay." Grell could only smile at his lover's dependence of him. For someone so strong, he was quite clingy when they made love. So Grell made no attempt to move other than laying comfortably back down on the bed and wrapping his arms around the older man's neck, planting a soft kiss on his shoulder.

The food could wait. This was more important.


	4. Chapter 3

Sorry for the delay, you guys, but here's chapter 3! I guess you can say this is when things actually start making sense. So, read and review, please?

**Disclaimer:** Yeah, not ours. We know.

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><p>†<strong> Chapter III<strong>

It was a cold and windy December morning. Typically on freezing winter days, Undertaker and Grell would cuddle on the couch in their living room by the fire and read, simply enjoying each other's company. However, it was Christmas time, and Undertaker had to run some errands to prepare for the holidays. He coaxed Grell into accompanying him and Grell did so, dressed in his best fur coat.

The pair made their way down one of London's busiest streets with their purchased items in hand. They had one more stop to make at the florist's for one of Undertaker's most recent "customers." As they approached the shop, Undertaker spotted Sebastian and his master, Ciel.

"Well, well~", Undertaker mused, "It's none other than the Queen's guard dog~" he grinned. "Long time, no see~"

Ciel stopped in his tracks and twitched once he heard that familiar, annoyingly sly voice. "It's been four years…didn't think I'd see you around ever again." Ciel added, cocking an eyebrow.

"Well, you haven't needed my services as of late, have you~" Undertaker mused. "And look, you still look like you're thirteen!" He giggled.

"EXCUSE me?" Ciel threatened, clenching his fists and flashing his demon eyes at Undertaker.

"Aww, come now, was a friendly greeting too hard to ask for~? After all those past incidences where I've assisted you?" Undertaker grinned.

Ciel frowned at the mortician. He had definitely matured greatly since Undertaker and Grell had last seen him. He resembled his father in almost every aspect, minus the beauty mark. Sebastian followed closely behind him, as always.

During Ciel and Undertaker's brief conversation, Grell noticed Sebastian was eyeing him suspiciously. Sebastian wrinkled his nose in disgust a few times. What was that for?

Sebastian drew back his scrutiny and straightened himself up. "Well, master, we really should be on our way now. You'll be late for your meeting."

Ciel frowned at Sebastian. "Fine. But I'll expect you back at your shop in precisely two hours, Undertaker." He glowered at him and pressed on, Sebastian following.

"As you wish~" Undertaker finished.

Once Sebastian and Ciel figures were lost in the crowd, Grell pulled Undertaker to the side next to the florists.

"Did you see the way Sebastian looked at me?" he whispered, slightly bothered.

Undertaker raised an eyebrow. "How, now?"

"He gave me a weird look," Grell continued, "like I…smelled bad? Do I smell bad?" Grell lifted a wrist and sniffed it lightly. "I put on perfume right before we left!"

"Grell, dear, you're fine~" Undertaker smiled, giving Grell a peck on the cheek. "Now let's just get these chores over with." They stepped into the street and in to the florists.

-/-

The next day, Grell had to work. He only had a few souls to reap and work was slow. Grell found himself occupying his long periods of free-time people watching on top of a roof of a townhouse, waiting for the moment the next soul in his schedule was in need of judgment.

Watching humans go about their daily business wasn't particularly interesting to him. But that night, certain select humans caught his eye; across the street, two young boys were fighting over a toy before breaking up and disappearing into the alley behind them. A few feet from them, a woman was walking briskly to her destination with a baby in her arms. Grell's heart felt strange, but the particular feeling he had he could not pinpoint what it was. _Like a particular…attachment to these otherwise worthless humans?_ Grell began to feel uneasy.

Grell reached into his pocket and pulled out a pocket watch. He opened it to discover that it was close to midnight. He had a soul of an old woman to harvest about two blocks away.

Just as Grell stood, he heard the clacking of someone's heels on the shingles of the roof behind him. Grell smiled to himself.

"What a nice surprise to see you here, Sebastian, dear~" Sebastian raised an eyebrow at the redhead.

"I'm surprised you haven't called me Bassy yet." Sebastian said rather bluntly. Grell stood to face him.

"I've fallen for another, so sorry, dear Sebastian~" Grell smiled and winked at Sebastian. Sebastian cringed a little in turn.

"Well, I really must be on my way to do my job. Was there something you needed?" Grell asked, putting a hand on his hip.

Sebastian tilted his head to the side a bit. "Actually…" he straightened himself up and sniffed the air. "You've smelt a little…odd as of late." Sebastian took a step forward as to examine Grell closely. Grell's jaw fell agape.

"I. DO. NOT. SMELL BAD!" he shouted while quickly summoning his scythe. "I ALWAYS SMELL LIKE DELICIOUS SEX! TAKE THAT BACK!" he swung his chainsaw at Sebastian who dodged it with ease. Sebastian leapt up in the air and threw a knife with a flick of a wrist towards Grell. The knife grazed Grell's skin just enough that a single drop of blood slid down the knife as the knife embedded itself in the roof next to him.

Grell stepped back in shock. "Wh-WHAT WAS THAT FOR? THAT'LL LEAVE A MARK!" Grell grabbed his wrist and scrutinized his wound.

Sebastian jumped to land behind Grell and swiftly snatched the knife from the roof. Stepping a safe distance back, Sebastian brought the knife to his mouth and slowly drew the flat end of the knife across his tongue. Sebastian furrowed his brow as he tasted the blood, eyeing Grell suspiciously.

"What in the hell are you doing?" Grell sneered. Sebastian smirked.

"I'd never thought I'd say this, but you're pregnant, Grell." He slid the knife back into his coat pocket as Grell's jaw fell open again.

"You-you're obviously joking. That's impossible! As much as I'd love to have a woman's body, I can't, so I could never be pregnant!" Grell's face contorted in anger.

"Why do you think I've mentioned you smelling rank as of late? Your body's hormones have increased dramatically and I could smell you from two blocks away. The taste of the hormones that are rampant in your blood stream confirmed my suspicions." Sebastian straightened his coat and stepped away from Grell. Grell's dumbfounded gaze followed him.

"Now I must be on my way. There is no sense in fighting you in your condition. I suggest you go get yourself examined right away." Sebastian sprung off the building and disappeared into the darkness, leaving an astonished reaper behind.


	5. Chapter 4

Oh gosh, SO sorry for the long wait, you guys! D: Exams, whyyyy? ;_; This is a short chapter, but I promise to upload a new one tomorrow or the day after that. I just needed this mpreg to make sense. Hopefully this explanation is good~! :D

**Disclaimer:** It's not ours.

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><p>†<strong> Chapter IV<strong>

Grell slammed the door shut when he returned home after his little confrontation with Sebastian and just paced back and forth in Undertaker's lobby while he finished applying makeup to a corpse, grunting in frustration.

"What seems to be the matter, my dear?" The mortician asked, frowning a bit at Grell's attitude.

"Sebastian playing games with me, that's what! Gahh, that _bastard_! He mocked me! He knows _full well_ I'm male and he still...ARGH!" Sensing he was about to start pulling his own hair, Undertaker made him sit down on one of the coffins, knelt in front of him and held his hands.

"Now, now, calm down, dear." The older man said, patting one of his hands. "Calm down and tell me what happened." Grell sneered.

"That bastard. He said I was pregnant! He said I smelled like it and then cut me and licked my blood off the knife to prove it! Said something about hormones... Look, it left a mark!" The redhead complained, showing him where Sebastian's knife had merely grazed his skin. "He's just taunting me, I can tell! I'm...I'm a man, I can't be pregnant!" The look on his eyes when he admitted his sex always made Undertaker frown a bit - he could always tell the disappointment and hurt in his eyes whenever he said it. "Urgh..." He groaned, letting himself fall back onto the coffin and covering his eyes with his arm.

Raising to his feet, Undertaker took a hand to his chin in contemplation while he looked at Grell. Maybe... "Maybe... There's a chance he might not be teasing you at all." Grell got up immediately and frowned, giving him a look that clearly said: "don't you tease me too". "Hold on, let me get..." Still in thought, Undertaker headed to the back of the shop, searching through his belongings until he pulled out a thick old book. Blowing the dust off the cover, he began leafing through it while making his way back to Grell.

"What's that?" The redhead asked when Undertaker sat down on the coffin in front of him, reading through the pages.

"It's a book on shinigami nature." He explained, finally stopping when he reached the chapter he'd been looking for. "Here we go. Shapeshifting." Grell blinked in confusion.

"What about it?" He knew shinigami had some shapeshifting powers, that's how he changed his hair color and dulled his teeth when he was working for Madam Red. He had also changed his eyes to human-like ones then.

"Let me read this through..." A few seconds later a smile appeared on his face. "It says here there's a possibility that shinigami can change their internal organs without realizing it. I mean, shapeshifting is voluntary and usually external so you notice those things, but you wouldn't know if you changed your internal organs."

"...Are you saying...what I think you're saying?" Undertaker's smile grew wider.

"There's a chance you might have female internal organs in you. You want to physically be a woman, so I wouldn't be too surprised if you did. And if Sebastian said you have pregnancy hormones in your bloodstream, well... He's a demon, he can taste those things unlike us. And I don't see a reason for him to lie, either, so..."

"So I might..." Grell's tone was timid, like this was too good to be true. "...I might actually be..."

"Pregnant. Yes."

"But...but if this is possible, how come I'm the first...?"

"Love, how many reapers do you know that actually _want_ to be women, like yourself?" Well, truth be told, when he put it that way, it made a lot of sense.

"...What if it's just a fluke?"

"After what Sebastian said, I'd doubt it." After a few seconds, Grell's eyes turned to Undertaker, a smile growing on his features, which Undertaker returned.

"I'm...pregnant..." He whispered, laying his hands on his stomach, barely able to believe what he had just said. "With your child. I...never thought this would come true!" Undertaker chuckled and caressed Grell's face with the back of his fingers.

"You deserve it, my dear." He said, wrapping his arm around Grell's wait and pulling him closer to kiss his cheek. "You deserve having all your dreams come true."


	6. Chapter 5

Oh gosh, so sorry for the delay, you guys! D: And for the shortness of the last chapter. This one isn't all that long either, but we're trying to move things alone to the real action. And if you'd like to start bets for the gender of the baby, now's the time! xD Kidding, kidding. Hope you enjoy this one as well!

**Diclaimer:** Not ours. Yeah.

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><p>†<strong> Chapter V<strong>

The next day, Grell went to work with a renewed strength. The possibility of him being pregnant was... Well, quite close to overwhelming. All those years of hoping, wishing, praying he could bear a child but still assuming he couldn't, only to have this happen... It was too good to be true. Miracles like this just didn't happen. But Sebastian had said so, and Undertaker said the possibility was there... He knew Undertaker would never lie to him, nor would he say things just to make him happy if he wasn't sure they could be true. He knew better than to raise his hopes, specially on a subject like this, only to crush them afterwards.

Fortunately for him, he didn't have any souls to reap that day, only paperwork to fill out - it was as good as a day off, really. William should know that, but oh well. He loitered for a while in his cubicle, doodling hearts and undertakers on spare sheets until he got bored and decided to head down to the library. Not where they kept the cinematic records, though, but instead a much smaller library in the same building as the offices that held only specific books on shinigami nature and the shinigami's own cinematic records. After browsing for a while, he finally found what he was looking for - a book solely about shinigami shapeshifting abilities. Sitting at a desk there, he kept turning the pages to find what he was searching.

A while later, a smile graced his features. He had found the chapter that proved what Undertaker had said. Although they couldn't voluntarily change their external anatomy, shinigami were, in come cases, able to change their internal anatomy without realizing so. Grell's heart skipped a beat when he read that part, grinning even wider. His dream might just be becoming a reality, and he was positively thrilled! Closing the book and putting it back on the shelf, he happily pranced back to his desk to do his paperwork. Which obviously means doodling hearts and undertakers.

-/-

Grell's mood had definitely risen the past two weeks. He was feeling more tired than usual, and he looked a little bloated too. Truth be told, he had been eating a bit more than he usually did, but not enough to make him look bloated. Only after those little signs did he actually start believing that he might very well be pregnant. When the realization struck, he couldn't get a smile off of his face.

Ronald once commented that Grell was getting lazy and gaining a little belly, laughing and poking his stomach while he did so. Grell's smile only grew wider as he told Ronnie not to judge a book by its cover.

The first time he had morning sickness, though, he couldn't stop smiling. He could count on his fingers how many times he had thrown up in his life, but this was different. He was getting up and talking to Undertaker when he suddenly made a break to the bathroom, Undertaker following him and holding his hair back while he threw up. After Undertaker cleaned his face with a wet cloth, Grell was laughing and crying at the same time, and he latched onto his neck for quite a while.

It was official. Grell Sutcliff was expecting.

A few days later, however, his nausea had become worse, and he wasn't going into work with such a cheery gait. To top things off, the one morning he was feeling incredibly nauseous, William had decided to call him to his office. A very upset Grell knocked on the door to Will's office and walked in.

"You wanted to see me?"

"I did." William replied, putting away the papers he had been working on and looking at Grell over his glasses. "Sutcliff, you've forgotten to file your reflection letters again. It's the third day in a row."

"...Oh. Have I?" William sighed.

"Yes. I expect them on my desk tomorrow at 9AM sharp. Don't forget them this time."

"I can't help it if I'm forgetful~" Grell complained. "It comes with the _condition_." William raised an eyebrow. Oh boy, there we go again. Another one of Grell's crazy ideas.

"Condition?" Grell grinned.

"You know, pregnant women tend to be forgetful, it's not like we can do something about it~!" William resisted the urge to facepalm or roll his eyes.

"Sutcliff, for the last time, as much as you want to be a woman, you are a _male_. You can't be pregnant."

"Not according to what Sebastiand and Undertaker said~!" William's eyebrow raised again. First of all because he was surprised Sebastian was back - hadn't he eaten the kid's soul and moved on? It wasn't surprising that he'd lie to Grell, but Undertaker? No, Undertaker wouldn't lie, not even to get a smile on Grell's face. Not about something like this.

"Undertaker said you were pregnant?" Grell was positively beaming when he nodded.

"He went over some book and said that I might have female internal organs without realizing. And now I'm having all the symptoms of pregnancy! I'm so thrilled!" William frowned again. He vaguely remembered having read about shapeshifting in the past, but he didn't know it could go to such extent. But what if Grell was having a hysterical pregnancy from having his hopes raised?

"Are you sure you're not just imagining things?" Grell shook his head.

"Sebastian said I had pregnancy hormones in my bloodstream."

"He could be lying to you, you know?"

"I know. I didn't believe it at first either. But..." He took his hand to his stomach and his grin changed to a sweet smile. "But then I got symptoms. I'm so happy~!" William blinked. Seeing Grell suddenly change and act to calm and subdued was surprising. He seemed genuinely happy. The last time he had seen him like this was when he got together with Undertaker. Could it really be that Grell was expecting Undertaker's child?

But then suddenly Grell's face changed and his hand moved from his stomach to his mouth as he looked around and rushed to the wastebin in the corner of the room, and hurled into it. William's frown deepened before he got up and rushed over to assist Grell.

"Are you okay?" He asked, holding his hair back while he threw up the contents of his stomach into the wastebin. These were probably the symptoms Grell had been talking about. After taking a couple of deep breaths, the redhead wiped his face with a handkerchief and nodded.

"Yeah. This is normal. Y'know, morning sickness." He commented with a laugh. "Sorry for throwing up in your wastebin, but it was either that or your desk." William shook his head.

"It's okay. I'll just leave the window open and be gone for the day." He said, earning a laugh from his subordinate. "So are you really...pregnant?" Grell nodded.

"I think so. And I couldn't be happier." William smiled. Or he would have, if he knew how to.

"In that case, I'm happy for you, Sutcliff."


End file.
